From space the world is one : astronaut Rakesh Sharma

Unless pollution issues are addressed appropriately, the human race would be extinct from the earth, Rakesh Sharma cautioned.

Rakesh Sharma wished that the next space flight in search of another home planet for the man take off from Chandipur in Odisha.

From space the entire world looks like one with no boundaries demarcating the countries, distinguished astronaut Rakesh Sharma said on Wednesday. “Anyone who goes to space tried to look at his own country first, but soon it appears that there is no boundary between the countries and the entire world is one family where our destinies are integrated,” Sharma said at the 6th lecture of Odisha Knowledge Hub (OKH) lecture series here.

Sharma, who was speaking on the topic ‘Manned Space Flight: A learning Experience’, said that environmental degradation of the earth caused by vehicular and industrial pollution was clearly visible from the space.

Unless pollution issues are addressed appropriately, the human race would be extinct from the earth, he cautioned.

To the query of a student, Sharma said,”In recent days green coverage in some parts of the country like Odisha has increased but all the countries have to work together for maintenance of a balanced eco-system.”

On the space research, Sharma said all countries should collaborate together in space research so that wastage of resources in ‘re-invention of the wheel’ is saved and the earth is spared the burdens of pollution.

Sharma wished that the next space flight in search of another home planet for the man take off from Chandipur in Odisha.

Odisha’s Development Commissioner, R Balakrishnan said that during Indo-Pak war of 1971 WG CDR Rakesh Sharma successfully launched 21 Operational Missions on a Mig-21 aircraft even when he was less than 23 years old.

Sharma was the astronaut in joint Indo-Soviet Space Mission-1984 which culminated in an 8-day near Earth Orbit Space Flight.

He was adorned with awards like ‘Ashok Chakra’ by government of India and ‘The hero of Soviet Union’, Balakrishnan said.

In the interaction session, students questioned on interesting topics like what one eats during space voyage, how to prepare for space flight, whether aliens really exist, if another home like earth for man is really possible in the universe etc.